PRESERVATION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS FOR FOOD. 
447 
herrings, exclusive of salt; that it should he made of stronger material; that the staves should 1)e of 
hard wood wherever possible, and that if spruce is permitted to he used, the staves should he tldcker 
and stronger than the present stave. Fir and pine should he prohibited. The rule in Scotland has 
been that the barrel might he made of any kind of wood, fir excepted. It seems very probable that 
a lir or pine barrel may “sour” lish or other animal food packed in it for the first time. If a new 
pine barrel or cask be filled full of pure water and covered up and allowed to stand for some weeks 
there will be formed in the water a pretty firm gelatinous sulistance, which, if allowed to remain for 
some time, becomes very offensive, as has been the case often in regard to piiies made of tamarac and 
pine used for conveying water underground, where frequently jiijies with a 3-inch bore have been 
nearly clogged up from end to end with this offensive matter. If cleaned out, however, and the 
pipes relaid, the gelatinous substance will not again form. 
It is universally conceded that oak barrels are the best of all, and, where procurable, the Dutch 
use no other kind. The present barrel wo think, after sufficient notice, should be prohibited. We 
are of opinion that a little more bilge would add to the strength of the barrel. The hoops should 
be of l)etter quality than they are now and there should be more of them; and all barrels intended 
for transportation beyond the province where the fish are put up should have at least one iron hooi> 
at the top ; and should the barrel be of spruce or Norway larch, then, in addition to a thicker stave, 
there should be an iron hoop at each end. If, however, hard-wood staves can be procured in sufficient 
quantity, we think that soft-wood barrels should not be allowed. The knot of the hoop should be 
longer than it is in the case of the jiresent hoop, to prevent it suddenly springing off. There should 
be in the side of the barrel, above the bottom hoops, 15 or 16 inches from bottom, a bunghole about 
1 inch in diameter, with well-fitting bung, and the usual rule as to crossing the heads should be 
observed. The new standard barrel, when decided upon, should be made a legal standard by act of 
Parliament, as is intended to be done in Britain at the next session of the Imperial Parliament. 
There should also be a legalized half-barrel built of the same material and in proportion to the 
size of material used in the large barrels. 
(4) Small pac/capes.— We are of opinion that in addition to the barrel and half-barrel, there 
should be established a grade of small packages in which to put up repacked herrings, after the man- 
ner of the Dutch and Germans; that these packages or kegs should be integral j)arts of the large barrels, 
say one-fourth, one-eighth, and one-tenth parts of the full-sized barrels. We believe that kegs in 
every way suitable for this purpose may be procured in Canada. A gentleman largely interested in 
the sugar-refining business told us that he gets a very neat, small keg or kit, for holding sirup, made in 
Ontario, at reasonable prices, and he considers that the small herring keg can be made here as well and 
nearly as cheaply as in Holland. If so, then a very great step is assured toward the establishment of 
what we believe to be a most iinportaut and profitable branch of the herring industry of the Dominion. 
We are of opinion that the very first movement toward improvement in this industry should be 
in the direction of improving the herring barrel and consequent discouragement to the manufacture 
of the present barrel. 
As already stated, there can be no doubt that a very large business can be done in the small 
package line, if i>roperly gone into and taken hold of with energy and in a business manner. Canada 
should be able to largely supply the demand on this Continent for herring put up in this way. 
(5) Curing . — That next in importance to the catching of the herring is the proper curing of them. 
This process commences in having the salt brought into contact with the herring as soon as caught; 
and if it could be done at sea as soon as the lierring come out of the water, so mucii the better and so 
much more thorough the cure. All the printed evidence, all the experience of the Dutch, the Yar- 
mouth fishermen, and others, and all that we heard on the subject goes to eonlirm this. If attention 
to this preliminary salting be necessary, and so salutary in results in Britain, how much more neces- 
sary is it in the maritime provinces, where the temperature in summer is so much higher? In order, 
therefore, to preserve the herring from incipient taint and to retain all the delicate flavor and natural 
excellence of the fish, it is absolutely necessary that at the earliest possible moment the curing 
process shall commence, and that the herring be scrupulously shaded and sheltered from the damaging 
effects of the sun throughout all the stages of gutting, curing, packing, etc. This is most important 
because injury caused to the herring by exposure to the sun can never be remedied. The injury 
sustained by herring in this way is beyond the j)ower of man to remedy. Inordinate quantities of 8.alt, 
soaking and washing in water may cover up the damage done and prevent further taint, but the lost 
